New International Reader s Version - NIrV - 1996
Esther 6
1
That night the king couldn't sleep. So he ordered the official records of his rule to be brought in. He ordered someone to read them to him.
Reference
Kingdom
Daniel 6:18
Daniel 2:1
Esther 2:23
Esther 10:2
Esther 5:8
Parallel theme
Isaiah 41:17
Romans 11:33
Genesis 22:14
Malachi 3:16
2
It was written there that Mordecai had uncovered the plans of Bigthana and Teresh against the king. They had been two of the king's officers who guarded the door of the royal palace. They had decided to kill King Xerxes.
3
"What great honor has Mordecai received for doing that?" the king asked. "Nothing has been done for him," his attendants answered.
Reference
Kingdom
Daniel 5:7
Daniel 5:16
Daniel 5:29
Parallel theme
Ecclesiastes 9:15
Genesis 40:23
1 Chronicles 11:6
4
The king asked, "Who is in the courtyard?" Haman had just entered the outer courtyard of the palace. He had come to speak to the king about putting Mordecai to death. He wanted to talk about putting Mordecai's body up on the pole he had gotten ready for him.
Reference
5
The king's attendants said to him, "Haman is standing in the courtyard." "Bring him in," the king ordered.
6
Haman entered. Then the king asked him, "What should be done for the man I want to honor?" Haman said to himself, "Is there anyone the king would rather honor than me?"
Reference
7
So he answered the king. He said, "Here is what you should do for the man you want to honor.
8
Have your servants get a royal robe you have worn. Have them bring a horse you have ridden on. Have a royal crest placed on its head.
Reference
Kingdom
1 Kings 1:33
9
Then give the robe and horse to one of your most noble princes. Let the robe be put on the man you want to honor. Let him be led on the horse through the city streets. Let people announce in front of him, 'This is what is done for the man the king wants to honor!' "
Reference
Parallel theme
Genesis 41:43
10
"Go right away," the king commanded Haman. "Get the robe. Bring the horse. Do exactly what you have suggested. Do it for the Jew Mordecai. He's sitting out there at the palace gate. Make sure you do everything you have suggested."
11
So Haman got the robe and the horse. He put the robe on Mordecai. And he led him on horseback through the city streets. He walked along in front of him and announced, "This is what is done for the man the king wants to honor!"
Reference
Parallel theme
Luke 1:52
12
After that, Mordecai returned to the palace gate. But Haman rushed home. He covered his head because he was very sad.
Reference
13
He told his wife Zeresh everything that had happened to him. He also told all of his friends. His advisers and his wife Zeresh spoke to him. They said, "Your fall from power started with Mordecai. He's a Jew. So now you can't stand up against him. You are going to be destroyed!"
Reference
14
They were still talking with him when the king's officials arrived. They hurried Haman away to the big dinner Esther had prepared.
Reference
Kingdom
Esther 5:8
Summary of Esther 6
Esther Chapter 6 contains one of the greatest reversals in the entire book. Haman believes he is at the height of his power and is preparing to have Mordecai executed. Instead, through a seemingly ordinary event involving the king's sleepless night, Mordecai receives the very honor Haman had imagined for himself.
The chapter begins with King Ahasuerus unable to sleep. He orders his servants to read the official records of his reign. As the records are being read, they come across the account of how Mordecai had previously exposed the assassination plot against the king by Bigthan and Teresh.
The king suddenly realizes that Mordecai had never received a reward for saving his life. He asks what had been done to honor him, and the servants tell him that nothing had been done.
This forgotten event becomes extremely important. At precisely this moment, Haman arrives at the palace. He has come early because he intends to ask the king for permission to hang Mordecai on the enormous gallows he had prepared the previous evening.
Before Haman can make his request, however, the king asks him a completely different question: What should be done for the man whom the king wants to honor?
Haman immediately assumes that the king must be talking about him. His answer reveals just how deeply pride has affected him. He imagines an extraordinary public ceremony involving the king's own clothing, the king's horse, and a leading nobleman publicly announcing the king's favor.
Then comes the dramatic reversal.
The king tells Haman to do exactly what he has described—but for Mordecai.
Haman is forced to dress Mordecai in royal clothing, place him on the king's horse, and lead him through the city while publicly announcing that this is what the king does for the man he wishes to honor.
This must have been deeply humiliating for Haman. Just one day earlier, he had been celebrating his enormous wealth, political position, and special access to the king and queen. He had also built a gallows for Mordecai. Now he is publicly honoring the very man he wants to destroy.
After the ceremony, Mordecai simply returns to the king's gate. He does not appear to boast about his new honor or use it to attack Haman. Haman, by contrast, rushes home mourning and covering his head.
When Haman tells Zeresh and his friends what happened, they recognize that the situation has changed. They warn him that if Mordecai is Jewish, Haman will not ultimately succeed against him. Their statement is particularly significant because earlier they had encouraged Haman to build the gallows. Now they recognize that his position is becoming dangerous.
Before Haman can even process what has happened, the king's eunuchs arrive and take him to Esther's second banquet.
The chapter's central theme is dramatic reversal. Haman had planned to destroy Mordecai, but he is forced to honor him. Haman expected to be celebrated, but instead he is humiliated. Mordecai appeared powerless, but he receives public recognition from the king. The person who seemed to control events suddenly discovers that events are turning against him.
Another important theme is providence through ordinary circumstances. The chapter never explicitly says that God caused the king to lose sleep. Yet the timing is remarkable. The king cannot sleep, chooses to have the records read, the correct historical event is discovered, and Haman arrives at precisely the moment when the king needs someone to carry out the ceremony.
This is one of the strongest examples of the book's theme of hidden providence. God is not directly named, but events repeatedly move in a direction that protects Mordecai and threatens Haman.
The chapter also exposes the danger of pride. Haman assumes the king must want to honor him because he cannot imagine anyone else being worthy of such recognition. His pride causes him to design a ceremony that ultimately humiliates him.
Historically, the events occur around 474 BC, during the reign of Xerxes I. The royal records mentioned in the chapter fit the administrative practices of the Persian court, where important events involving the king could be preserved in official chronicles.
The chapter ends with Haman being taken directly from his humiliation to Esther's second banquet. The reader knows that Esther is about to reveal Haman's plan to the king. Haman does not yet understand how serious his situation has become.
The great irony is that Haman built the gallows for Mordecai, but before the story is finished, Haman himself will face the consequences of his own plot.
The chapter begins with King Ahasuerus unable to sleep. He orders his servants to read the official records of his reign. As the records are being read, they come across the account of how Mordecai had previously exposed the assassination plot against the king by Bigthan and Teresh.
The king suddenly realizes that Mordecai had never received a reward for saving his life. He asks what had been done to honor him, and the servants tell him that nothing had been done.
This forgotten event becomes extremely important. At precisely this moment, Haman arrives at the palace. He has come early because he intends to ask the king for permission to hang Mordecai on the enormous gallows he had prepared the previous evening.
Before Haman can make his request, however, the king asks him a completely different question: What should be done for the man whom the king wants to honor?
Haman immediately assumes that the king must be talking about him. His answer reveals just how deeply pride has affected him. He imagines an extraordinary public ceremony involving the king's own clothing, the king's horse, and a leading nobleman publicly announcing the king's favor.
Then comes the dramatic reversal.
The king tells Haman to do exactly what he has described—but for Mordecai.
Haman is forced to dress Mordecai in royal clothing, place him on the king's horse, and lead him through the city while publicly announcing that this is what the king does for the man he wishes to honor.
This must have been deeply humiliating for Haman. Just one day earlier, he had been celebrating his enormous wealth, political position, and special access to the king and queen. He had also built a gallows for Mordecai. Now he is publicly honoring the very man he wants to destroy.
After the ceremony, Mordecai simply returns to the king's gate. He does not appear to boast about his new honor or use it to attack Haman. Haman, by contrast, rushes home mourning and covering his head.
When Haman tells Zeresh and his friends what happened, they recognize that the situation has changed. They warn him that if Mordecai is Jewish, Haman will not ultimately succeed against him. Their statement is particularly significant because earlier they had encouraged Haman to build the gallows. Now they recognize that his position is becoming dangerous.
Before Haman can even process what has happened, the king's eunuchs arrive and take him to Esther's second banquet.
The chapter's central theme is dramatic reversal. Haman had planned to destroy Mordecai, but he is forced to honor him. Haman expected to be celebrated, but instead he is humiliated. Mordecai appeared powerless, but he receives public recognition from the king. The person who seemed to control events suddenly discovers that events are turning against him.
Another important theme is providence through ordinary circumstances. The chapter never explicitly says that God caused the king to lose sleep. Yet the timing is remarkable. The king cannot sleep, chooses to have the records read, the correct historical event is discovered, and Haman arrives at precisely the moment when the king needs someone to carry out the ceremony.
This is one of the strongest examples of the book's theme of hidden providence. God is not directly named, but events repeatedly move in a direction that protects Mordecai and threatens Haman.
The chapter also exposes the danger of pride. Haman assumes the king must want to honor him because he cannot imagine anyone else being worthy of such recognition. His pride causes him to design a ceremony that ultimately humiliates him.
Historically, the events occur around 474 BC, during the reign of Xerxes I. The royal records mentioned in the chapter fit the administrative practices of the Persian court, where important events involving the king could be preserved in official chronicles.
The chapter ends with Haman being taken directly from his humiliation to Esther's second banquet. The reader knows that Esther is about to reveal Haman's plan to the king. Haman does not yet understand how serious his situation has become.
The great irony is that Haman built the gallows for Mordecai, but before the story is finished, Haman himself will face the consequences of his own plot.